Colonel pivotal to the crisis on 9/7 becomes a strong name in the PM of SP – 09/11/2023 – Politics

Members of the leadership of the Public Ministry and the Military Police of São Paulo met, at the beginning of August, to discuss “various topics of institutional interest”. In the official record of the meeting, Attorney General Mario Sarrubbo appears flanked by two colonels: on the left is the commander-general, Cássio Araújo de Freitas, and, on the right, Aleksander Toaldo Lacerda, deputy chief of the General Staff.

The image that will immortalize this meeting is also a public demonstration of the status achieved by Lacerda during the administration of Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans).

In August 2021, this colonel was the pivot of a serious institutional crisis between the PM and the São Paulo government when he called on social media to participate in acts in support of the then president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) in the “war” against the STF (Supreme Federal Court ).

The involvement of an active officer from the largest PM in the country, with around 80 thousand men, increased the atmosphere of tension on September 7th due to rumors of the possibility of a coup d’état with the support of military police officers.

Lacerda’s accession signaled the possibility of a break between the São Paulo PMs and the João Doria administration (then in the PSDB) and, with it, the end of the democratic rule of law.

The colonel’s involvement with Bolsonarism was revealed by the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo. The material showed the content of the official’s publications on social media which, in addition to calling for pro-Bolsonaro acts on the 7th of September, made serious criticisms of Governor Doria and the ministers of the STF, especially the former Secretary of Security of SP, Alexandre de Moraes.

After the report, Lacerda was removed from command of the Sorocaba region and became the target of an internal investigation. The then general commander Fernando Alencar Medeiros also determined that off-duty military police officers would not participate in political demonstrations on that holiday, something unprecedented in the corporation. The order was carried out, but the image of the troops’ political contamination remained.

With the beginning of the Tarcísio administration, Lacerda was appointed deputy chief of the General Staff – one of the most important functions of the PM as he is responsible for conducting all the corporation’s strategic studies and for implementing the decisions taken by the command.

For colonels heard by Sheetthe work efficiency of a Deputy Chief of Staff is what determines the success or failure of a General Commander.

In addition to being appointed to the General Staff, Lacerda also appears on the PM’s website as one of the editors of the magazine A Força Policial, the corporation’s quarterly publication aimed at internal and external audiences.

In June, the police officer was one of those awarded by the São Paulo government with the Military Valor medal, in Gold grade, in “recognition of the good, loyal and relevant services provided to the state of São Paulo, for more than 30 years in the ranks of the corporation “.

For the director of the Brazilian Public Security Forum, Renato Sérgio de Lima, Lacerda’s presence at the top of the PM conveys a message that contrasts with the image maintained by the institution over the years, of always striving for professionalism to the detriment of political-political issues. partisans.

“The message I understand is that politics in the troops can, as long as it is aligned with what the secretary and governor believe. It not only can, but must be encouraged. When, in fact, the police force would need to be shielded from partisan interests, of ideological political interests.”

Also according to Lima, the Public Ministry must pay attention to political movements in the São Paulo Military Police so that it is not guided by partisan interests and the same thing that happened in the Federal District does not occur in São Paulo, where the institution’s leadership was “radicalized by anti-democratic positions” in the January 8th.

“So, I see it with concern because the signal to the troops is that there is a radical change underway, that there is a very clear partisan political realignment,” said the security expert.

The director of the Sou da Paz Institute, Carolina Ricardo, says that the publications made by the colonel in 2021 were very serious, “extremely politicized”, and the then PM commander, colonel Alencar, and governor Doria acted correctly in removing the colonel from the Sorocaba command and open an investigation.

“So, I don’t think it’s advocating for him to fall into ostracism. He needs to continue his trajectory in the Military Police, but it seems to me that being where he is today might turn on a little yellow light and bring the question that, perhaps, political positions radicals don’t bother so much is the current management,” she said.

Veteran colonel José Vicente da Silva, former national secretary of Public Security, says he sees no problems in appointing Lacerda to such an important position in the São Paulo Military Police because the colonel is considered by his colleagues to be a competent police officer, who made a mistake.

“The information I have that he is an extremely competent officer, very correct, qualities that qualify him for the role. I don’t see a problem with that. He made a private statement, but undue in my understanding, on that occasion, he received some punishment. He he didn’t raise a political flag after that. He almost apologized for having done that”, he said.

wanted by Sheet, the Public Ministry, which at the time announced a series of measures to investigate the case, sent a laconic response. “The MPSP offered a complaint”, says the entire note.

The Public Security Secretariat states that the investigation against the colonel was concluded and sent to the Military Court, if it informs the result of the investigation.

“The Military Police informs that the IPM (Military Police Inquiry) relating to the events that occurred in 2021 was concluded and sent to the Military Justice. The institution reiterates that the administrative disciplinary measures adopted at the time were fully complied with. Therefore, there is no impediment for the officer performs the functions inherent to his hierarchical position”, says the note.

When questioned twice, the SSP did not inform what these “disciplinary administrative measures” would be. Administrative punishments are divorced from criminal or civil matters.

According to Sheet found, there is a case (96.734/21) in progress against Colonel Lacerda in progress at the 3rd Audit of the São Paulo Military Court of Justice, under article 166 of the CPM (Military Penal Code), which provides for punishment of two months to one year of detention a soldier who publishes or publicly criticizes the actions of superiors.

According to the report, the witnesses in the case were heard, the defendant was questioned and, now, the case is in the due diligence phase and should be judged in around two months.